Best of luck, the major issue is that they use globalstar low orbit satellites, not Iridium mid height satellites. Avoid areas with lots of peaks/hills to your south and heavy tree cover.
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Emergency Location & Communication Devices
- Thread starter Rustic
- Start date
Russ - did you get your bivy stick? Thoughts?
Last edited:
lagbc
Active member
Since Russ has been singing all the time about Bivy stick and it's credit system I quickly looked at it.
As inReach, Zoleo and Bivy use iridium network, coverage should be somewhere similar (unless someone cheaped out on hardware, but unlikely) so that's probably not worth discussing.
Regarding devices main difference probably is that with inReach you can still type message if your phone is dead - even if it's clunky it still can be done, with Bivy and Zoleo you are screwed as you can only send preset or SOS if you have no phone. Also inReach has a nice small form factor, where Zoleo is bigger and Bivy seems to be small, but different form. Form factor and functionality without a phone would be purely individual choice as you do pay more for inReach device (not data plan), especially if they stop selling mini 1.
Bivy Device itself is way cheaper than inReach, so is the Zoleo (about the same price as Bivy) - I think inReach will loose fair bit of new customer just because of entry cost, that is basically 2x (if they stop selling mini 1) and Zoleo have discounts from time to time which makes it very attractive.
Bivy Stick - $270 gpscity
Zoleo - $269 MEC
inReach mini 1 - $350, inReach mini 2 - $530 MEC
When it comes to plans
Zoleo is probably most expensive - cheapest plan is $25 with $25 activation fee and minimum 3-month commitment.
inReach cheapest plan is $14.95 CAD/mo on annual contract with $29.95 activation fee (first year). and $19.95 CAD/mo for Freedom Plan (one you can cancel anytime) with $34.95 annual fee. If one is using inReach for more than 5-6m a year, it makes no sense to use Freedom Plan, Annual will end up costing the same.
Bivy I believe and correct me if I am wrong shows their prices in USD not CAD which makes them ~30% more expensive than inReach, positive is $0 activation fee, negative is 4 month commitment. When it comes to differences bivy gives you 20 messages instead of 10 and messages (credits) accumulate as far as you keep paying, if you cancel you loose it all.
inReach Plans
All annual plans are subject to a $29.95 activation fee.
Enrollment in Freedom plans is subject to a $34.95 annual fee.
Zoleo plans
3 month min commitment
A $25 activation fee applies when activating a ZOLEO monthly plan.
Bivy plans
4 month minimum commitment.
I have been happy with my inReach mini 1 for years, but if I would have to pay $530 for mini 2 I would think twice. I would certainly be ready to pay $80 extra for inReach than Zoleo and Bivy just to have ability to message from device. But that's me, you do you.
As inReach, Zoleo and Bivy use iridium network, coverage should be somewhere similar (unless someone cheaped out on hardware, but unlikely) so that's probably not worth discussing.
Regarding devices main difference probably is that with inReach you can still type message if your phone is dead - even if it's clunky it still can be done, with Bivy and Zoleo you are screwed as you can only send preset or SOS if you have no phone. Also inReach has a nice small form factor, where Zoleo is bigger and Bivy seems to be small, but different form. Form factor and functionality without a phone would be purely individual choice as you do pay more for inReach device (not data plan), especially if they stop selling mini 1.
Bivy Device itself is way cheaper than inReach, so is the Zoleo (about the same price as Bivy) - I think inReach will loose fair bit of new customer just because of entry cost, that is basically 2x (if they stop selling mini 1) and Zoleo have discounts from time to time which makes it very attractive.
Bivy Stick - $270 gpscity
Zoleo - $269 MEC
inReach mini 1 - $350, inReach mini 2 - $530 MEC
When it comes to plans
Zoleo is probably most expensive - cheapest plan is $25 with $25 activation fee and minimum 3-month commitment.
inReach cheapest plan is $14.95 CAD/mo on annual contract with $29.95 activation fee (first year). and $19.95 CAD/mo for Freedom Plan (one you can cancel anytime) with $34.95 annual fee. If one is using inReach for more than 5-6m a year, it makes no sense to use Freedom Plan, Annual will end up costing the same.
Bivy I believe and correct me if I am wrong shows their prices in USD not CAD which makes them ~30% more expensive than inReach, positive is $0 activation fee, negative is 4 month commitment. When it comes to differences bivy gives you 20 messages instead of 10 and messages (credits) accumulate as far as you keep paying, if you cancel you loose it all.
inReach Plans
All annual plans are subject to a $29.95 activation fee.
Enrollment in Freedom plans is subject to a $34.95 annual fee.
Zoleo plans
3 month min commitment
A $25 activation fee applies when activating a ZOLEO monthly plan.
Bivy plans
4 month minimum commitment.
I have been happy with my inReach mini 1 for years, but if I would have to pay $530 for mini 2 I would think twice. I would certainly be ready to pay $80 extra for inReach than Zoleo and Bivy just to have ability to message from device. But that's me, you do you.
DeathDuck69
New member
And with the Zoleo, after the initial 3month commitment, u can park your plan as many times a year as u want, for @$6 each month parked and re-activate it for no additional charge other than the plan u choose at that time.
ejfranz
Member
Spot no longer uses GEOS.
lagbc
Active member
Sounds like you are right, they use FocusPoint International now.
SPOT Satellite Trackers Move to FocusPoint SOS Response
Earlier this year it was announced that SPOT satellite trackers will partner with a new emergency response unit, FocusPoint International Emergency Response Center, whose mission is to provide SOS monitoring through committed search and rescue operations. FocusPoint International, with 19...
BackofthePack
New member
Spending my evening cruising through old threads. There is still relevant info here on this thread so thought I'd chime in even though the thread is old.
I had SPOT Gen 1 for 10+ years and used it extensively, but as well documented above, found it unreliable. After researching the options I switched to Zoleo 3 years ago for a few reasons.
If you are looking for a device that allows text message communication anywhere, anytime, I'd recommend Zoleo.
I had SPOT Gen 1 for 10+ years and used it extensively, but as well documented above, found it unreliable. After researching the options I switched to Zoleo 3 years ago for a few reasons.
- My main use is for communication and Zoleo is designed as a communicator, not a navigator. It's basically a text message system that can send and receive messages using wifi, cell or satellite.
- It's just like text messaging. No more pre-programmed messages and it's full 2-way text message communication. There is some limited e-mail communication functionality, but I've never used it. I can text message to any phone number and they can text me.
- Zoleo sends / receives messages in order of priority using: 1. WiFi. 2. Cell, 3. Satellite. You only pay Zoleo for satellite messages. The plan you choose includes a specified number of satellite messages. Exceed the limit and you pay a per-message fee. There is no limit on messages sent / received by WiFi or cell.
- At the time it was cheaper to buy the Zoleo unit than InReach.
- Zoleo always has the same phone number so messaging is easy and simple. Anyone with my Zoleo number can message me. The InReach phone number changes every time so someone that is not an InReach user cannot message the InReach first. The InReach has to messsage first and the other person has to respond fairly promptly before the "thread" goes dormant and the number changes again.
- Zoleo requires the app and a cell phone to message, but the unit also has the "I'm OK" and "SOS" buttons on the unit so even if my phone dies I at least can let my contacts know "I'm OK" or in deep trouble.
- Zoleo now has "Location Share+" tracking and will send a position to contacts I choose to share with at user-selected intervals, from a minute or two to every few hours. This feature can be turned off / on in the app, but costs ~$7/month extra. Well worth it for me and I use it often so if I need assistance those responding can follow my breadcrumb trail to find me.
- I can message my friends with InReach, but they have to message me first.....see comments above about the changing phone numbers.
- I can suspend a unit ($5/month) or wake it up easily with no delay time which helps keep costs down.
If you are looking for a device that allows text message communication anywhere, anytime, I'd recommend Zoleo.
Yes and Bivvy works much the same but uses a credit system instead of monthly messages allotment so may be better for some. Inreach, Zoleo and Bivy all use iridium network and have equal connectivity reliability.
SMW
New member
Thanks for the feedback; I was curious about Zoleo as an addition to my Garmin 66i for texting others back at base location.
Tracking seems like an awesome feature if you crash while riding solo and can't call/text for help.
It would be really nice if InReach/Zolio/Anyone had a system to get Geo specific wildfire updates while in the back country.
I saw some guys last Sept. topping up gas in Goldbridge, before for a Lillooet run and later found out Lillooet was on a wildfire evacuation so I don't know how they would have made it back, once turned around by RCMP, without being able to buy more gas.